Can democracy take us into the future?
05/13/25 • 31 min
Support for Donald Trump is slipping lately, at least in part because of the President’s violations of democratic rules and norms. In a New York Times/ Sienna College poll, a majority of respondents disapproved of Trump’s recent actions, including moves to eliminate government programs enacted by Congress, deport legal immigrants who have protested Israel, and ignore Supreme Court rulings.
This episode we’re joined by Suzette Brooks Masters, a thought leader, political strategist and Senior Fellow at the Democracy Funders Network. She says that for American democracy to thrive, it's not enough to defend the existing system against attack, because the system doesn’t work well for most people.
She’s been researching ways to invigorate democratic practice, including citizen’s assemblies and participatory budgeting – frameworks that give ordinary people a bigger say in government. And she advocates for storytelling that envisions positive, possible futures.
00:00 Introduction and Current Political Climate
00:40 First 100 Days of the New Administration
01:35 Guest Introduction: Suzette Brooks Masters
02:08 Imagining Better Futures for American Democracy
03:36 Challenges and Opportunities in Democracy
05:57 Why the Right Sees Democracy as Under Attack
11:31 Bridge Building and Civic Engagement
16:44 Innovations in Democratic Processes
22:59 Telling a Different Story About the Future
30:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
LEARN MORE
Suzette Brooks Masters’ articles for The Fulcrum
Imagining Better Futures for American Democracy report
Becoming Futures Ready: How Philanthropy Can Leverage Strategic Foresight For Democracy report
ABOUT THE SHOW
The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. Our associate producer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org
Connect on social:
Instagram @makingpeacevisible
LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible
Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social
We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!
Support for Donald Trump is slipping lately, at least in part because of the President’s violations of democratic rules and norms. In a New York Times/ Sienna College poll, a majority of respondents disapproved of Trump’s recent actions, including moves to eliminate government programs enacted by Congress, deport legal immigrants who have protested Israel, and ignore Supreme Court rulings.
This episode we’re joined by Suzette Brooks Masters, a thought leader, political strategist and Senior Fellow at the Democracy Funders Network. She says that for American democracy to thrive, it's not enough to defend the existing system against attack, because the system doesn’t work well for most people.
She’s been researching ways to invigorate democratic practice, including citizen’s assemblies and participatory budgeting – frameworks that give ordinary people a bigger say in government. And she advocates for storytelling that envisions positive, possible futures.
00:00 Introduction and Current Political Climate
00:40 First 100 Days of the New Administration
01:35 Guest Introduction: Suzette Brooks Masters
02:08 Imagining Better Futures for American Democracy
03:36 Challenges and Opportunities in Democracy
05:57 Why the Right Sees Democracy as Under Attack
11:31 Bridge Building and Civic Engagement
16:44 Innovations in Democratic Processes
22:59 Telling a Different Story About the Future
30:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
LEARN MORE
Suzette Brooks Masters’ articles for The Fulcrum
Imagining Better Futures for American Democracy report
Becoming Futures Ready: How Philanthropy Can Leverage Strategic Foresight For Democracy report
ABOUT THE SHOW
The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. Our associate producer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org
Connect on social:
Instagram @makingpeacevisible
LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible
Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social
We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!
Previous Episode
In the Brazilian Amazon, environmental reporting is dangerous business
Brazil’s Arariboia Indigenous Territory is a green island that spans more than 413,000 hectares (1.02 million acres) in a sea of deforestation. Though the territory is protected by law, it’s become the site of incursions by loggers and cattle ranchers.
In a five-year investigative series for the environmental news outlet Mongabay, reporter Karla Mendes exposed environmental crimes in Arariboia and other protected areas of the Amazon, including palm oil production, logging, and cattle ranching. She also investigated the murder of Paulo Paulino Guajajara, an indigenous Forest Guardian who was ambushed by loggers. He was one of more than 50 indigenous Guajajara individuals killed in the last 20 years. Mendes’ reporting is helping to bring justice to these remote areas where impunity has been the norm.
Her investigation was part of a Pulitzer Center Rainforest Investigations fellowship. She says as the climate changes, Brazilians are showing increased interest in journalism like hers that highlights the importance of protecting the rainforest.
LEARN MORE
Read Karla Mendes’ report: Revealed: Illegal cattle ranching booms in Arariboia territory during deadly year for Indigenous Guajajara.
Learn more about the impact of the investigation.
Watch a short documentary film about the Guardians of the Forest and the search for justice for Paulo Paulino Guajajara.
ABOUT THE SHOW
The Making Peace Visible podcast is hosted by Jamil Simon and produced by Andrea Muraskin. Our associate producer is Faith McClure. Learn more at makingpeacevisible.org
Connect on social:
Instagram @makingpeacevisible
LinkedIn @makingpeacevisible
Bluesky @makingpeacevisible.bsky.social
We want to learn more about our listeners. Take this 3-minute survey to help us improve the show!
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